Spring Book Club: The House of Mirth (Part 2 of 3)

The House of Mirth is Edith Wharton's second novel, and it solidified her reputation as a major literary figure on the American scene.  A story of the upper classes during the Gilded Age, it transcends any one genre, being both a realistic depiction of the manners of that stratum of society, while also incorporating the new interest in naturalism, which explores unconscious animal drives in human beings.  It has been variously interpreted as a work of social satire, while also being a moral tragedy that indicts the corruption of the wealthy.  The protagonist is Lily Bart, a woman whose fortunes decline from social privilege to poverty and social marginalization.

Our guest discussion leader will be Professor Paul Jones from Ohio University's Department of English.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Athens Public Library.